Marine Species ID for the Portland and the Frank A. Palmer-Louise B. Crary Shipwrecks 2019 Phylum Chordata -- Fishes vv Atlantic Cod – Gadus morhua Cusk – Brosme brosme Haddock – Melanogrammus aeglefinus Curved white lateral line, well-developed Tail small, one dorsal fin and one anal fin Gently sloping black lateral line, three dorsal barbel on chin, three dorsal fins, speckled (partly joins tail), fins white edged with dark fins, dark spot behind gills, small barbel, body, tail straight edged stripe below, long chin barbel gray/purplish color, tail slightly forked Pollock – Pollachius virens Acadian Redfish – Sebastes fasciatus Wolffish – Anarhichas lupus Lateral line pale and straighter than cod’s, Red to rose coloring, sharp rays along dorsal Eel-like body, slate blue to olive green color, barbel tiny to absent, first dorsal fin low and fin, large black eyes, fan-shaped tail, up to 12 vertical dark bars along body, large head, rounded, darker above and silvery below inches long prominent tusk-like teeth Phylum Chordata -- Tunicates Stalked Tunicate – Boltenia ovifera Sea Vase – Ciona intestinalis Sea Squirt – Ciona sp. Sea squirt stalk 2 to 4 times longer than body; Elegant sea squirt, color varies from white to Various colors (dirt may cover it); grows singly color varies from red to yellow to brown yellow, siphons different sizes or in groups. (FYI: brittle star arms extend out from between plates - probably Ophiopholis aculeata.) https://stellwagen.noaa.gov Phylum Chordata – Tunicates (continued) Phylum Bryozoa Sea Grape – Molgula spp. White Crust – Didemnum spp. Moss Animals -- Bryozoans Small sea squirt; often covered in debris and Large, dense colonies common; usually white, Common colonial animals; resemble sea- hard to distinguish; pictured here with delicate but can be pink or yellow; hard, brittle and weeds (above), corals (see white branching branch-like bryozoan colonies (Bugula sp.) opaque; native and invasive species animals in far left photo), or hydroids Phylum Porifera -- Sponges Finger Sponge – Haliclona oculata Breadcrumb Sponge– Halichondria panicea Boring Sponge – Cliona celata Branching from narrow base; grows to 18” Encrusting sponge attaches to hard surfaces; Encrusting sponge; can cover large areas, high; colors range from light brown, gray to shape irregular; cones/projections with visible including other marine life; wart-like purplish; rounded branches; numbers can vary osculum (opening); yellow to greenish protrusions; secretes acid to dissolve host Encrusting Sponge – Aplysilla sulfurea Branching Sponge – Iophon nigricans Cup Sponge – Axinella infundibuliformis Thin encrusting sponge with low bump-like Variably-shaped branches from broad base; Cup-shaped (inverted cone); color buff, forms (conules); color bright sulphur yellow to color off-white to gray, but some yellow or creamy white or yellow; sizes up to 4 pale yellow; smooth between conules orange; soft and crumbly consistency inches/10 cm across. Glass Sponge –Vazella sp. This beautiful example of a cylinder-shaped glass sponge was photographed on the starboard side forward deck during an earlier exploration and documentation of the wreck of the steamship Portland. New expeditions to the wreck site may determine the fate of this specimen, with possible changes due to natural deterioration and/or human intervention. Phylum Porifera – Sponges (continued) common spider crab Common Palmate – Isodictya palmata Bulbous Sponge – Polymastia sp. Cup Sponge – Phakellia ventilabrum Branches more flat than round; smaller than Globose (globe-like) form; about 4” (10 cm) in Erect, solitary individuals; bowl- or cup- Halichona oculata; up to 12” tall; colors yellow, diameter; color: yellow or white; P.infrapylosa shaped, often with short slender stalk; color: orange or light brown most common species of several in region pale yellow to brown Phylum Cnidaria – Anemones, Hydroids (also corals, jellies) Tubularian Hydroid– Ectopleura crocea Northern Red Anemone – Urticina felina Frilled Anemone – Metridium senile Commonly called pink-hearted hydroid; flower- Heavy bodied anemone; strongly adherent; Tall, smooth column with many tentacles, often like in appearance; can form dense, inter- thick tentacles contract entirely for protection; over 1,000; color: usually white or orange but twined growths on lines and buoys bright colors: red, orange, yellow, white or brown, gray, yellow and red varieties; some combinations [note sea grape tunicates nearby] bicolor with tan column/white tentacles. Northern Cerianthid–Pachycerianthus borealis Pink Anemone – Bolocera tuediae Pom Pom Anemone – Lionema multicornis Burrows in sand or mud; 2 rows of tentacles Smooth column, often taller than wide; lightly Rare anemone observed in area closed to around mouth; outer row longer; color: brown adherent; tentacles slightly transparent, long groundfishing east of the Portland wreck; column, tentacles pale yellowish or pinkish and graceful; color: uniform, pink, whitish, tan unattached; color: pinkish-orange Other cnidarian species that may be observed in the sanctuary include the pink, long-stemmed octocoral called the sea pen (Pennatula aculeata), the solitary hydroid (Hybocodon pendula), masses of wine-glass hydroids (Campanularia sp.), and the red soft coral (Gersemia rubiformis). Hydromedusae, moon jellies, and lion’s mane jellies may be drifting through the sanctuary, too. Phylum Arthropoda – Crustaceans Northern Lobster – Homarus americanus Jonah Crab – Cancer borealis Stone Crab – Lithodes maja Iconic New England crustacean; 2 claws – a Oval-shaped shell (carapace); short legs; Also called king crab; spiderish appearance; catcher and a crusher; color: greenish- or color: reddish-orange upper surface, yellowish carapace nearly round; body and legs brown orangish-brown but also blue, white, or red under. Related rock crab (Cancer irroratus) or orange with large spikes; 3 large walking has sharp points at widest part of carapace legs, claw and small hidden 5th leg each side. An array of arthropods may be inhabiting sanctuary shipwrecks, including the steamship Portland. Many of these animals are very small, and difficult to observe with underwater cameras. These species include the “pods” (amphipods, isopods, etc.), sea spiders, barnacles, skeleton shrimp, and the Acadian hermit crab (Pagurus acadianus). The water column is Shrimp – Dichelopandalus leptocerus Krill – Meganyctiphanes norvegica home to many types of copepods, Similar in size and color to northern pink Shrimp-like in appearance but smaller; large important zooplankters that support the shrimp (Pandalus borealis) but slight stalked black eyes; nearly transparent but red entire food web. anatomical differences; common in sanctuary spots on legs and body; stomach visible [note swarming chaetognaths around krill] Phylum Braciopoda Phylum Mollusca Phylum Chaetognatha Lamp Shell -- Terebratulina septentrionalis Scallop – Placopecten magellanicus (deep Arrow Worm – Sagitta elegans Resembles bivalve mollusks but shells are sea) and Chlamys islandica (Iceland) Important zooplankton species; almost hinged top and bottom, not along a side; color: Oval shape; color: reddish-brown, purple, pink, transparent; found at depth in summer months; white, pale yellow, gray, or brown yellow; shell wings at hinge are unequal in predator on copepods and larval fish [see C. islandica swarming arrow worms in krill photo] The phylum Mollusca includes numerous species that live in the sanctuary and may be residing in, on, or near sanctuary shipwrecks. The types of animals that might be viewed include squid, octopus, chitons, shelled gastropods (whelks, moon snail), sea butterflies, nudibranchs, mussels, and clams. Phylum Echinodermata – Sea Stars (also sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sand dollars) Smooth Sunstar – Solaster endeca Spiny Sunstar – Crossaster papposus Blood Sea Star – Henricia sanguinolenta Has 7 to 14 arms, but usually 9 to 10; upper Has 8 to 14 arms, but usually 10 to 12; bristles Small central disk and 5 slender legs; about 4” surface has very short spines (smooth); color: on upper surface; color: red with concentric radius; color: red, orange, yellow, white, purple red, pink, yellow, or purple with yellow margins bands in white or red; a voracious predator or mottled; feeds on sponges Northern Sea Star – Asterias vulgaris Badge Star – Porania insignis Horse Star – Hippasteria phrygiana Covered with blunt, short spines; usually 5 Has 5 blunt arms and a thick skin; color: red Has 5 arms, with rounded edges with a arms, with a row of spines down the middle of upper surface with white markings, whitish on beaded look; large rounded spines on the each arm’s surface; madreporite (eyespot) is underside surface; color: red above and white below; pale yellow; color: brown, red, orange, feeds on bivalves, echinoderms, and worms purple,or green Forbes’ Sea Star – Asterias forbesi has similar appearance, but no arm midline spines and madreporite is orange Phylum Annelida NOTES and CREDITS Photos in this identification guide are all in the public domain. Credit goes to the following organizations: NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary; National Undersea Research, Technology and Education Center; NOAA Fisheries; U.S. Geological Survey; and SBNMS/WHOI Portland Expedition Project This is a work in progress. Photo identifications, scientific and common names, and species descriptions may change as further information is collected, but extensive efforts have been made to fact check this document. Submit comments to the ID